Tomato carton



' Feb. 14, 1961 Filed April 10, 1958 Thadabs D. McHan 1N VEN TOR.

BY 2mm WWW T. D. MCHAN TOMATO CARTON Feb. 14, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 10, 1958 D. McHan INVENTOR.

United States Patent TOMATO CARTON Thaddus D. McHan, 912 N. Sparkman St., Hartselle, Ala.

Filed Apr. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 727,594

Claims. (Cl. 206-4534) This invention relates to packaging and more particularly to a carton which is especially useful for packaging fruits or produce.

An object of the invention is to provide a carton possessing advantages over cartons within which fruit or produce is now packaged. The invention has particular reference to the packaging of tomatoes, and a carton in accordance with this invention gives the customer a better view of the product and at the same time protects the tomatoes from bruises while giving sanitary protection.

The carton can be constructed in various sizes, a suggested size adapted to give the housewife a weeks supply of fresh tomatoes, that is six ripe and six pink tomatoes at the time of purchase. Therefore the carton has two compartments, one to accommodate the ripe tomatoes and the other to accommodate the tomatoes which are slightly unripe.

This carton is characterized by case of manufacture and ease of packing. The carton is easily assembled and can be packed very rapidly.

An important feature of the invention is that the carton may stand long shipping by being packed in a master container of any number, for example a dozen cartons. The shape of this carton and its strength permit stacking without damage to the tomatoes.

The carton is neat and meets modern requirements of rapid food handling.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a practical, improved carton that is especially designed for shipping tomatoes, these suggested to be packed in dozens with six riper than the others. The carton has separate compartments not only to keep the ripe and slightly pink tomatoes separate but also to add strength and rigidity to the carton.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carton constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the partition in blank form.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the body of the carton, this view also in blank form.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the transparent panel that constitutes a part of the carton when it is assembied as shown in Figure 1.

In the accompanying drawings there is a carton 10 constructed in accordance with the invention. The carton is made of three pieces. They are partition 12 which is a flat panel, carton body 14 that is stamped or otherwise cut from a fiat blank, and transparent panel 16. The transparent panel is made of a sheet of cellophane, transparent plastic or other similar material and has a reinforcing strip 18 around the rectangular perimeter of it. The strip can be adhesive tape attached to the edges of the transparent panel.

Blank 14 has a center part 20 of generally rectangular outline and connected to end parts 22 and 24 along hinge or fold lines 26 and 28 that extend transversely across the generally rectangular blank. These fold lines can be made by perforations, depressions, creases or like techniques common in the packaging field.

The center part 20 constitutes the bottom of the carton and has one or more ventilation openings 30 in it. The illustration has four such openings 30, although this number can be increased or decreased. Four longitudinally disposed edge tabs 31, 32, 33 and 34 respectively are integrally connected with the longitudinal edges of the center part 20. They function as fastening devices by which edge 36 and edge 38 are attached to the bottom of the carton.

Part 22 of the blank has two side strips 48 and 42, each of elongate rectangular formation and terminating in small tabs 44 and 46 at their outer ends. Generally rectangular strip 48 is integrally joined with the outer edge of part 22 and is located between tabs 44 and 46. Fold or hinge lines 50, 51 and 52 join the strips 42, 4t and 48 with the center section of part 22 so that the three strips can be bent at right angles to the plane of the part 22.

Part 24 is constructed identical to part 22. It has two side strips 55 and 56 together with an end strip 57 located between tabs 58 and 59. The tabs 58 and 59 are at the extremities of strips 55 and 56. Hinge or fold lines 68, 61 and 62 integrally join the strips 55, 56 and 57 to the center section of part 24.

Partition 12 has a substantially straight bottom edge 68 with two short tabs or keys 69 and 70 protruding therefrom and located intermediate the ends of the bottom edge. The side edges 71 and 72 of the partition have keys 73 and 74 protruding laterally therefrom and located beneath two recesses 75 and 76. Tongues 77 and 78 protrude laterally from the side edges of partition 12 and are located in a position coextensive with the top edge of the partition.

In the assembled carton, the blank 20 has parts 22 and 24 moved to a perpendicular position with respect to the plane of bottom 20. Tabs 31, 32, 33 and 34 are bent up at right angles to the plane of the center part 20 by folding along the hinge lines which integrally join them with the longitudinal edges of the approximately rectangular part 20. The edge strips of the two parts 22v and 24 are folded out at right angles to their parts 22 and 24 with the pairs of tabs 44, 46 and 58, 59 fitting under (or over) strips 48 and 57.

Partition 12 is inserted in the space between parts 22 and 24 with keys 73 and 74 fitting in lower slots 86 and 81 that are formed in the parts 22 and 24. Tongues 77 and 78 are passed through the upper slots 82 and 83 that are also formed in parts 22 and 24 but near the upper edges thereof. Keys 69 and 70 are fitted in slots 84 and 85 in the center part 20 and this firmly supports the partition lending support and rigidity to the entire construction. The folded over tongues 77 and 78 are stapled as at 87 to the parts 22 and 24, these constituting the ends of the carton 10. The transparent panel 1 is folded approximately along fold lines 88 and 89 that extend transversely across the rectangular panel, and the folded panel is stapled to the strips 42, 4t), 48, 56, 57 and 55. At the same time some of the staples attach the strips 57 and 48 to the four corner tabs 44, 46, 58 and 59 respectively. The tabs 31, 32, 33 and 34 have the edges 36 and 38 of the panel 16 stapled thereto, ventilation openings 30 receiving the stapler to perform the stapling. function.

A lift cord or handle 99 has knots at its ends and these are passed through the openings 91 and 92 that are in the approximate centers of the ends of the carton. Slots 93 and 94 communicate with the openings 91 and 92 and have the cord adjacent to the knots pulled into them thereby locking the knotted ends of the cord to the sides of the carton. In order to help hold the lift cord or handle assembled neatly, two apertures 96 and 97 are formed in the strips 43 and 57 and in the reinforced edges of transparentpanel 16. Intermediate parts of the cord 99 are passed through these apertures (Fig. 1).

In use the tomatoes are placed in the carton before the transparent panel 16 is completely stapled. It is suggested (although not mandatory) that six ripe tomatoes be placed in compartment. 98 while six tomatoes that are not so ripe be placed in compartment 99 thereby providing an ideal grouping for the sale of the tomatoes. After the tomatoes are placed in the compartments, the final stapling of the transparent panel is completed.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention, Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A carton for packaging produce comprising a body including a flat bottom having side edges, a pair of ends integral with and perpendicular to said bottom, and a folded cover panel, said ends having outwardly projecting side and top edge strips thereon, a pair of upturned tabs on each side edge of said bottom spaced apart and from said ends, said cover panel having marginal edges stapled to said side and top edge strips of said ends and having other marginal edges stapled to said tabs and free from said bottom between said tabs and bottom and between said tabs and said ends for ventilating the carton at the bottom and sides of the carton, said bottom having air inlet openings therein adjacent to and opposite said tabs for insertion of a stapling instrument therethrough to staple said cover panel to said tabs.

2. A carton according to claim 1, said ends having respectively a central opening therein and a slot leading upwardly from said opening, a lift cord for carrying said carton having ends positioned in said slots with knots thereon inside said cartons adapted to be inserted into said cartons through said openings to position said ends in said slots, and a central partition in said body secured to said bottom and ends with edge recesses therein receiving said knots.

3. A carton for packaging produce subject to damage if shipped in a bulk container, said carton comprising a generally rectangular horizontal bottom, a pair of end panels extending vertical from the ends of said bottom, said bottom and end panels being of unitary construction, each end panel having outwardly extending strips along the top and side edges thereof for forming a reinforcement for the end panels and also an attachment flange, a transparent panel including a horizontal top and depending side walls of unitary construction, means securing the end edges of the transparent panel to the outwardly extending strips on the end panels, the side edges of said bottom having upwardly extending tabs thereon disposed against the inner surface of the lower edge portion of the side walls, and means securing said tabs to the lower edge portion of said side walls, said bottom having openings therein adjacent the side edges and in transverse alignment with the tabs whereby access is provided for a tool when installing the means for securing the tabs to the side walls with the produce in the carton, said openings also providing ventilation for the interior of the carton, and handle means connected to the end panels to facilitate handling of the carton.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said handle means includes a flexible cord extending longitudinally above the top of the transparent handle, the outwardly extending top edge strip on each end panel having an opening therein, the overlying portion of the end edges of the transparent panel having an opening in aligment with the opening in the top edge strip for receiving said cord, each end panel having an opening centrally disposed therein, a slot extending upwardly from the upper edge of the opening, said cord having an enlargement on each end thereof for insertion through the opening whereby the portion of the cord adjacent the enlargement is disposed and frictionally gripped by the side edges of the slot extending upwardly from the opening thereby securing the ends of the cord detachably to the end panels of the carton for providing a carrying handle for the carton which, when inoperative, will dispose itself along the top surface of the transparent panel thereby requiring no additional space when packing the cartons into a shipping container or the like.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4 together with a longitudinal partition extending between the end panels intermediate the side walls of the transparent panel with the upper edge of the partition terminating in spaced relation to the top of the transparent panel for air circulation therebetween, said bottom having longitudinally aligned slots therein, the bottom edge of the partition having downwardly extending tongues received in the slots for preventing lateral movement of the tongues and partition, the end edges of the partition having longitudinally extending tongues adjacent the upper edge thereof, said end panels having slots therein receiving the tongues, said tongues being disposed against the outer surface of the end panels, and means securing the tongues to the end panels for securing the partition between the end panels for retaining the partition in position, said partition having notches in the end edges thereof in registry with the opening having the slot extending upwardly therefrom in the end panels for permitting insertion of the enlargement on the ends of the cord.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 888,653 Potter May 26, 1908 1,647,604 Bucker Nov. 1, 1927 1,830,495 Walter Nov. 3, 1931 2,551,090 Bergstein May 1, 1951 2,637,481 Adams May 5, 1953 2,652,335 Conti Sept. 15, 1953 2,663,486 Geisler Dec. 22, 1953 2,693,298 Palmer Nov. 2, 1954 2,834,530 Nute May 13, 1958 

